Pain Free Birth

What happens when an unexpected pregnancy disrupts the life you thought you had finally learned to accept?
When Amanda discovered she was pregnant with her fifth baby, she did not feel the immediate excitement she had experienced with her previous pregnancies. Instead, she felt shocked, angry, disconnected, and ashamed of her own emotions. For months, she struggled privately while pretending everything was fine. Through prayer, counseling, humility, and surrender, Amanda experienced a powerful change of heart that transformed the pregnancy she had resisted into one of the most redemptive stories of her life.
That redemption continued into birth. Although Amanda secretly longed for a home birth, she and her husband planned to deliver at the hospital. But when labor progressed faster than expected, her water broke at ten centimeters while her midwife was already in the house. Amanda remained home, experienced a peaceful rest and be thankful phase, and delivered her baby in the bathtub after only three minutes of pushing. After four hospital births, she describes this unmedicated home water birth as her calmest and least painful birth.
Tune in to hear:
Amanda’s honest reaction to discovering she was unexpectedly pregnant with her fifth baby
Why she felt ashamed of struggling to accept a pregnancy that others would consider a blessing
How resentment began affecting her marriage and emotional well-being
The role prayer, therapy, humility, and surrender played in changing her heart
How Amanda intentionally connected with her baby after months of feeling detached
Why she chose midwifery care after four pregnancies with an obstetrician
How God opened the door for her to work with the Christian midwife she had specifically prayed for
What prodromal labor felt like after four previously fast and straightforward labors
The moment Amanda’s water broke at ten centimeters in her living room
Why her midwife recommended staying home instead of rushing to the hospital
How the rest and be thankful phase gave Amanda time to prepare for birth
What made this water birth less painful than her previous hospital and epidural births
How breathing, worship music, gratitude, and Christian hypnobirthing supported her labor
Why physiological birth education changed Amanda’s fifth birth experience
How this unexpected baby became an irreplaceable blessing to the entire family
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE
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Connect with Amanda:
https://www.instagram.com/amanda_joy_photography/

Have you ever wondered if a twin birth can truly be peaceful, unmedicated, and even pain free?
In this powerful episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Destiny Randolph, a mom of six who has birthed two sets of twins naturally, unmedicated, and in the hospital. Destiny shares the incredible story of conceiving both sets of twins naturally, navigating the mental weight of a “high risk” label, and learning to trust her body, her intuition, her husband, her care team, and the Lord through it all.
This conversation is full of practical wisdom for any mama preparing for birth, especially those navigating hospital birth, induction, twin pregnancy, provider pressure, or fear of the unknown. Destiny’s story is a beautiful reminder that your internal environment matters deeply, that advocacy can be peaceful and collaborative, and that birth can be powerful, holy, joyful, and far less painful than you have been led to believe.
Tune in to hear:
Destiny’s story of conceiving two sets of twins naturally
How she processed the shock and fear of finding out she was pregnant with twins again
Why twin pregnancy felt mentally and physically harder, but twin birth felt easier than her singleton births
How she prayerfully navigated an induction recommendation at 37 weeks and 4 days
Why she chose Pitocin but declined breaking her water right away
The role of her husband in advocacy, decision making, and emotional support
How a supportive nurse helped her trust her body and make decisions with peace
Why cervical checks can impact labor mindset
The “open hands” practice that helped her relax through intensity
How worship music, water, closed eyes, and her husband helped her stay focused in the OR
What happened when Baby A was born in the OR and Baby B came later in the labor room
The shocking moment Baby B came flying out in her sac while the nurses thought it was “just fluid”
Why Destiny believes hospital birth can still be beautiful, spiritual, and empowering
Her encouragement for twin moms, hospital birth moms, and women afraid birth will ruin their bodies
The deeper lesson Destiny learned about surrender, trust, and letting go of control
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE
Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast
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Facebook
YouTube

Did you have a healthy baby, but still feel broken after birth?
For decades, women have been told that if their baby is healthy, they should simply be grateful. But what happens when your body, your heart, and your spirit are still carrying the weight of a birth that left you feeling unheard, violated, disappointed, or ashamed?
In this deeply personal episode, I unpack the hidden damage behind the phrase "healthy mom, healthy baby," why birth trauma is so often minimized, and how true healing begins. Whether your birth included unexpected interventions, a cesarean, feelings of failure, or simply didn't unfold the way you dreamed, this conversation will remind you that your story matters and that healing is possible.
Tune in to hear:
 Why "healthy mom, healthy baby" has become one of the most harmful phrases women hear after birth 
 How birth trauma happens, even when everyone says your birth was "normal" 
 The emotional signs that you may still be carrying unresolved birth trauma 
 Why trauma is about what happened inside of you, not just what happened to you 
 The connection between birth trauma, nervous system regulation, and postpartum healing 
 How shame, fear, and self-blame become trapped in the body 
 The powerful role forgiveness plays in healing, including forgiving yourself 
 Questions that help uncover the root of birth trauma and lifelong patterns 
 What family, friends, doulas, and birth workers can say instead of "At least you had a healthy baby" 
 Practical first steps for processing grief and reconnecting with your body 
 Why empowered mothers create healthier families and healthier birth culture 
 Resources available through Pain Free Birth for deeper healing and support
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE
Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast
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Facebook
YouTube

What if your birth doesn't go according to plan, but becomes even more transformative because of it?
In today's episode, actress, filmmaker, and creator Eliana Ghen shares her incredible 42-week induction journey. After being pressured toward an early induction for a suspected IUGR diagnosis, Eliana learned to advocate for herself, trust her body, and ask better questions. That decision ultimately allowed her baby more time to grow and led her into one of the most transformative experiences of her life.
What followed was a 42-hour labor that tested every mental, physical, and emotional reserve she had. Through Pitocin, Cytotec, Foley balloon induction, relentless back labor, extreme exhaustion, and moments where she believed she couldn't continue, Eliana discovered a level of strength she never knew existed. Her story is a powerful reminder that birth does not have to be perfect to be empowering.
Tune in to hear:
• How a suspected IUGR diagnosis almost led to a 37-week induction
• Why she chose to continue her pregnancy past 42 weeks
• What really happened during her Foley balloon and Cytotec induction
• The truth about Pitocin and whether it made contractions more painful
• How mindset preparation changed her entire labor experience
• The fear release exercises that helped her stay grounded
• Why back labor became the biggest challenge of her birth
• The moment she nearly chose an epidural
• How her husband helped her avoid a decision she wasn't ready to make
• What happened when her water was finally broken
• Why pushing felt completely different than labor
• The surprising pain-free ending after 42 hours of labor
• How birth transformed her confidence forever
• Her advice for women facing induction
• Why empowerment matters more than any specific birth outcome
Connect with Eliana:
ElianaGhen.com
TikTok: Eliana Ghen
Youtube: Eliana Ghen
Instagram: eliana_ghen
Facebook: Eliana Ghen
Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/painfreebirth
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/painfreebirth/
Spotify Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/5zEiKMIHFewZeVdzfBSEMS
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/pain-free-birth/id1696179731
Website - https://painfreebirth.com/
Email List https://pain-free-birth.mykajabi.com/website-opt-in

Can a traumatic birth experience be redeemed, even after years of fear, postpartum struggles, and disappointment?
In this powerful episode, Karen sits down with Anna Kroese, a homeschooling mom who shares her journey through three radically different birth experiences. After an induction for suspected IUGR, a difficult breastfeeding journey, and a fast but overwhelming home birth that left her feeling disconnected, Anna wondered if birth would ever feel empowering.
Seven years later, everything changed. Through intentional preparation, understanding birth physiology, renewing her mindset, and partnering with God throughout pregnancy and labor, Anna experienced a peaceful, redemptive home birth that transformed not only her labor, but her entire postpartum experience.
Tune in to hear:
 Anna's first hospital birth and unexpected IUGR induction 
 How breastfeeding struggles, tongue ties, and body tension impacted her family 
 Why bodywork, fascia release, and craniosacral therapies can be game changers 
 The red flags she missed during her first pregnancy 
 How she convinced her husband to support home birth 
 Why she switched midwives in her third trimester 
 The surprising lessons she learned from a fast, intense second birth 
 How fear changed her perception of pain during labor 
 The physiology behind pain-free birth 
 The role of Christian hypnobirthing and faith during pregnancy 
 How her husband became an incredible labor support person 
 The moment she realized birth didn't have to hurt 
 Delivering her baby before the midwife arrived 
 Why her postpartum experience was dramatically different after her third birth 
 How birth hormones can impact postpartum healing and mental health
Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/painfreebirth
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/painfreebirth/
Spotify Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/5zEiKMIHFewZeVdzfBSEMS
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/pain-free-birth/id1696179731
Website - https://painfreebirth.com/
Email List https://pain-free-birth.mykajabi.com/website-opt-in